Constantine always creeped me out, but he looks ultra creepy in that picture.
Is that bottom one Hugh Hefner? Or just some other uber creepy old man?
The older guy looks like an extra from Godfather 2, Goodfellas,etc.
I think that TPTB, at least Cowell, were somewhat befuddled by Taylor's unexpected, and consistent, popularity. But these quirky things do happen periodically in pop culture, and they're going to take a look at T's "numbers" and general buzz, and go with that.So they probably won't mess with anything and will let him go right to the final two, to keep his audience "who can't wait to see what Taylor's going to do next" watching right to the end.
But will they give him the whole thing? I actually think they will. Taylor's great for the show. He draws in an audience now, and imagine the nut-jobs that will try out next year thinking they're going to be the next Taylor Hicks (with his "street cred" they may even get a better, more interesting, musical pool as well). Plus his numbers and word of mouth (already a bad impersonation on SNL?) must be telling them that he's the surest thing they have for a smash album. But if they do let him win, I imagine they'll even market it as unexpected under-dog triumph.
And Taylor is someone they can work with. He knows the game, smiles for the camera, does their stupid commercials and songs, and he does seem to want to win this thing. After he does the Idol thing, he'll have all the time, money, and opportunity to do whatever he wants to do musically and otherwise. I think he'll be smart enough to take the long term view on this, and use them to his own ends.
And the person they might really be using is Chris. Why else would they pump him up, knowing he can't beat Taylor's numbers? Maybe they were only out to massage a good guy/bad guy rivalry between the two?